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About me

Chess Player

I started to play chess seriously in 1987 at age 13, joining a chess club shortly afterwards. I earned my FM title, breaking 2300 rating at age 21. Two years later I crossed the 2400 barrier and earned my first IM norms. At the same time I started my office job, working in the IT controlling department of a business bank. Around this time I stopped playing tournaments, focusing more on league chess. I was active in the first leagues of Germany (Bundesliga), Belgium and the Netherlands.
I still needed one more IM norm to get the title, but I just lacked half a point at the end of a season more than once. Finally in 2011, 14 years after the first norms, I scored my final one in the 2011 European Club Cup, getting the IM title in early 2012. Funny enough, basically all tournaments after this final norm would have been norms as well.
My best individual result was winning the Latschach Open 2013 ahead of many GMs. In league chess, my most memorable result is winning the Dutch Team Championships in the Netherlands with Voerendaal in 2012. In Germany, I have returned to play for my home town club of Dinslaken, helping it to promote from the 7th German league in 2008 to the 2nd League in 2016.

Chess Youtuber

2011 was an important year also for other another reason: my Youtube channel “Chessexplained” was started on July 07, 2011. It started out as a request by a friend who was interested to learn what I am thinking about during a blitz game. The channel gained some popularity and has grown to around 25.000 subscribers now.

Chess Teacher and Content Creator

in 2014 I left my office job to become a professional chess teacher and chess content producer. Since then, I have created various works on chess theory. I have published two Chessable books, a book on the Nimzo and Bogo Indian and created video content for Chess24 on the Ruy Lopez and English Opening. I am regularly streaming live for Chess24 and the Internet Chess Club(ICC). This includes entertaining Blitz sessions as well as serious live tournament coverage up to the level of World Championship Matches.

Most of my time nowadays is devoted to my work as a chess teacher. I offer indivual lessons via Skype or over the the board. Please see “Services” for more information.